What can I do different

mmarshall7698

I have been on my health and weight loss journey for over 8 months. I’ve lost a little over 45 pounds so far and none of my clothes fit properly which is great. Over the past 4 weeks I’ve only lost 1.2 pounds, and last week I gained over a pound. I’m under my calorie intake, carb intake, fat intake, and over my protein intake every day. I workout 5 days a week (1 hour plus of weight training and 35 to 45 minutes of cardio). My goal is to loose another 40 pounds and I’m trying to figure out what I’m doing wrong and what I need to be doing differently.

Merkavar

recheck your calories, make sure you are counting accurately, weighing food etc

Recheck your exercising, so you arent over counting it.

But also stuff happens, weight loss isnt a straight line. sounds like you might just be in a slow patch.

Lietchi

Have you recalculated your calorie goal since you started? A smaller body needs fewer calories and MFP doesn't automatically lower your calorie goal as you lose weight. If you're still using the same calorie goal, your deficit has become smaller, which would explain the slowed rate of loss/up and down scale.

tulips_and_tea

Or, maybe you don't need to do anything different right now. The 2 previous posts offer good advice. But keep in mind that your body is changing and adjusting to the weight you've already lost. Sometimes it needs a bit to "catch-up". Be patient and consistent and let your body heal.

springlering62

I lost my first 40 or 50 and “plateaued”. I was frustrated.

And then weird stuff started happening. My butt dropped like a sad 80’s balloon curtain. My “bingo wings”started clapping embarrassingly. One morning, out of absolutely nowhere, my thighs were cratered and pockmarked like asphalt.

Within a day or two or three of each oddity, great things happened my butt lifted and tightened like I’d been to a plastic surgeon My bingo wings were smaller, and the clapping stopped Literally overnight, the hideous cellulite appearance my my thighs vanished and they were smooth.

I finally chalked it up that my body simply needed to catch up to what was a relatively large weight loss.

instead of throwing all it’s energy into losing, it took a few weeks reprieve and “rearranged the furniture”.

Once I was past that stage, and had held the course, weight loss resumed

Check out the NSV (non scale victories) thread over in the success stories board That one thread kept me sane when it felt like nothing was happening, and I wasn’t in control anymore Change happens in more than just the scale numbers.

Don’t forget, MFP doesn’t always recalculate your calorie goals as you lose If you’ve lost that much weight, your calories needs should be much lower now than when you started go in a and refresh all the data on your goals page, and see if it recalculates your daily goal

Even now, several tears into maintenance, I get a little frisson of happiness when my body does something unexpected, because something, somewhere is going to change, perceptibly or not. Recently, my bathing suit tops have been chafing the bejesus out of my underarms. Since then, my arms have become thinner and more visibly muscular.

BTW, for these moments when things chafe, Body Glide is your friend and savior. I betcha your having these moments, too. 😉

springlering62

and another thing…..you may be entering the Whoosh Zone.

Lots of people who’ve had large, steady losses (including me) and have worked hard on exercising and improving nutrition, report periodic sudden large losses which we’ve fondly nicknamed “whooshes”.

It’s not uncommon to pick up a pound or two, and one morning wake up three, four or even five down.

No idea why that happens, but it will light up your day when it does.

Happened to me three or four times.

Hang in there. You’re doing great. Trust yourself, and trust your wise, wonderful, gift of a body!!!!

PattyRos3

Sometimes when progress slows, it’s not that you’re doing something wrong, but your body adapting. A few things that might help, switch up your workouts (heavier weights, new cardio style), take a deload/rest week, or even slightly increase calories to reset your metabolism. Also, measurements and how your clothes fit can tell you more than the scale. Don’t get discouraged, you have done a great job!

tomcustombuilder

Losing 45 lbs and your calorie requirement goes way down. Drop 200 a day and review in a month.

rudyzenreviews

Hitting a slowdown after months of steady loss is super common, your body just needs time to adjust. Sometimes it’s not that you’re doing anything “wrong” but that progress naturally slows as you get smaller. A few things that can help: double-check logging accuracy (hidden calories sneak in), consider a diet break or eating closer to maintenance for a week, and maybe switch up your workouts for a new stimulus. The scale is just one measure and the fact your clothes don’t fit is proof you’re still moving forward. Keep going.